Everyone has heard of a pub crawl, but what about an indie bookstore crawl? The Austin Texas Book Trail returns April 4-5 for a third year with a self-guided weekend across more than 30 independent local bookshops.

The Austin Texas Book Trail was founded in 2024 by Jacqueline Rangel and Michelle Zhang. The crawl isn't the only activity they have panned. Anchor events for the weekend will include a kickoff breakfast at Mañana Dos (111 Sandra Muraida Way) and a closing afterparty at Strangelove Coffee & Wine (1109 E Sixth St.).

“Our mission is to uplift newer bookstores, cherish the old, and energize the local literary community, readers, booksellers, and bookstore owners alike,” organizers said in a release.

The Book Trail arrives as interest in indie bookstores continues to grow nationwide. The American Booksellers Association reports rising sales and continued growth in independent bookstores, post-pandemic. Newer shops like First Light Books, located in the former Hyde Park post office, are reflecting that trend. The store's steady calendar of author events and programming reflects strong local interest in bookstore gatherings.

Austin’s bookstore scene has long been anchored by longtime institutions like BookPeople, widely considered Texas’ largest independent bookstore with roots dating back to 1970, and BookWoman, one of the country’s oldest feminist bookstores. Smaller literary spaces have also shaped the city’s reading culture, including Malvern Books, which operated from 2013 to 2022 near UT and became a hub for poetry and small-press literature.

That momentum has not come without challenges. South Congress Books, a vintage shop that opened on South Congress in 2011, closed its brick-and-mortar location after a move north proved unsustainable. Independent bookstores, especially smaller and niche concepts, often face a tougher path, with rising rents and shifting foot traffic making it difficult to sustain long-term storefronts.

A trail map groups bookstores by geography, making it easier to plan stops by neighborhood or nearby cities, from Central Austin clusters to outposts in Lockhart, Bastrop, and Georgetown, encouraging visitors to explore beyond their usual routes.

Many shops are offering perks, discounts, and pop-ups throughout the weekend:

• Adventures in Ink — Free comics and coffee for trail participants
• Vintage Bookstore & Wine Bar— Buy a book, get a second 15 percent off
• Alienated Majesty Books — 20 percent off new releases, staff picks, and poetry
• Colossus Books — 10 percent off with a stamped map or receipt from another stop
• Haunt Happy Books — Themed “horrible” perks, their words
• Phat Tracks Books & Records — Free snacks and drinks
• First Light Books — Raffles for a signed memoir by Anna Konkle and a five-year membership
• Time Being Books — On-site art exhibition
• Best Little Wine & Books — Complimentary samples, including smoked chicken and pickle dip

Two notable changes have reshaped the Book Trail since it was announced. The zine store Keep Looking is no longer on the lineup because it has closed. And Lioness Books, a mobile bookseller based in Leander, is still participating after its storage space was heavily damaged in a fire. Thankfully the mobile store is still up and running, so if book-lovers want to support a business in need, they might want to head out to 208 N. Gabriel St. The team has also created a GoFundMe fundraiser.

Last year's event resulted in more than 2,6000 visits from readers who lived in 27 unique cities. The majority of the visitors were making their first visit to the bookstore.

CapMetro has donated 100 bus passes to help trailgoers get around Austin for the tour.